Denis Villeneuve Offers an Update on the Hunt for the Next James Bond

The search for the next James Bond has been one of Hollywood’s most closely watched casting processes, and Denis Villeneuve is giving fans a rare peek at how it’s going. The ‘Dune’ filmmaker is set to direct the next 007 film for Amazon MGM Studios. The project has no official title or release date yet.

Villeneuve’s latest comments came during a big night for him. The director was honored at LACMA’s 15th annual Art+Film Gala on Saturday, November 7, alongside artist Vija Celmins. Leonardo DiCaprio and LACMA trustee Eva Chow co-chaired the event, Gucci presented it, and Blackpink star Rosé was booked as the musical guest.

On the gala’s red carpet, the conversation inevitably turned to Bond. Villeneuve told Variety that he is having a great time screening actors for the new film. It was a brief, upbeat answer, and he didn’t name anyone or hint at a frontrunner, but it confirms the audition process is underway and going well from his point of view.

The comments line up with recent reports that the search is in its final stage. Deadline reported in October said that the final screen tests for the role could begin within days and run through the following week. Variety also reported that final screen tests were coming, with Callum Turner and Jack Lowden said to be in the mix.

Other names have come up as well. The trades have pointed to Turner, Lowden, Josh O’Connor and a fourth unnamed actor as the finalists. The final round was originally scheduled for early October before the actors’ schedules pushed it back.

Denis Villeneuve says he’s having a "great time" screening actors for the upcoming James Bond movie. 📍 LACMA Art+Film Gala https://t.co/FgNYHowBb6

— Variety (@Variety) November 8, 2026

The process has been a long one. It started in the spring, when the studio announced casting director Nina Gold had joined and the search was officially underway. After 2 months of meetings, the first auditions took place in August, and by September producers Amy Pascal and David Heyman had worked with Villeneuve to cut the list down to a final group and arrange test offers.

The brief has been fairly clear from the start. Deadline reported that the search would focus on a fresh face: a relatively unknown male actor from the British Isles, possibly in his late 20s or early 30s. The film isn’t expected to pick up where ‘No Time to Die’ left off, and has instead been described as a new Bond and a completely fresh start.

The mission that changes everything begins… #NoTimeToDie is in theaters this November. https://t.co/TVR2R9saC8

— Amazon MGM Studios (@AmazonMGMStudio) September 3, 2020

The creative team is also taking shape. Steven Knight has confirmed that he’s finished a first draft of the screenplay, and Pascal and Heyman were the first producers brought on. Amazon MGM chose Villeneuve after meeting with a number of directors, following the studio’s move to take full creative control of the franchise.

Reports suggest the official casting announcement could come by the end of this year. Filming is expected to begin in 2027, with some reports pointing to a release in the fall of 2028.

Before he can fully focus on 007, Villeneuve has one more major release to deliver. He is finishing ‘Dune: Part Three’, which arrives in theaters on December 18. LACMA highlighted his track record when announcing the honor: ‘Dune: Part One’ won 6 Academy Awards, and ‘Dune: Part Two’ passed $700 million worldwide and won 2 more.

That’s partly why the Bond casting has taken this long. Earlier reports said the search for the new 007 would only begin once Villeneuve wrapped production on the final ‘Dune’ film. With screen tests underway and the director clearly enjoying the process, fans may not have to wait much longer to learn who will step into the tuxedo next.

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